


by the love i'm waiting like the sunrise

by guitarstrings



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAAYA!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 11:16:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18872095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guitarstrings/pseuds/guitarstrings
Summary: There’s a different kind of light, a different spark to Tomoe, standing underneath the early morning sunlight like this – different from when she’s bathed in the sunset’s scarlet red glow.It makes Saya feel like she could fall in love with Tomoe all over again, just by looking at her like this.





	by the love i'm waiting like the sunrise

**Author's Note:**

> Title of this fic taken from "Breathe Again" by December Avenue
> 
> You guys can find me on Twitter: @guitarstrings04 :)

_Bright yellow._

That’s what her last name means, and the more Saya thinks about it, the more fond of it she becomes. It suites her family really well – from her dad’s huge, easygoing grins, to her mom’s warm, comforting embrace, and right down to Jun and Sana’s bright, yet sometimes loud personalities.

But Saya doesn’t mind – she never did. There’s barely a day that passes by where their home isn’t filled with laughter, or her mom faking an exasperated look after her dad tells a particularly bad joke. And every time it happens, Saya only learns to appreciate them even more, while at the same time she also reminds herself to never take them for granted.  

So, having a vase of sunflowers sitting on the counter of their bakery doesn’t look out of place at all. In fact, the vivid yellow color of the sunflowers fits perfectly with the lighthearted, cozy feel of their bakery, and Saya even feels her mood brighten whenever she tends to them.

Which is why she frowns when she finds their latest batch start to wither one morning as she’s getting the store ready for the day. She thinks of rushing out to buy a fresh batch for a moment, until she realizes there isn’t going to be enough time for her to dash over to the local flower shop and make it before the store has to be opened.

It’s a shame, but she’ll have to set them aside and let it be for now. And the sun is shining so brightly, too.

She’s about to head back through the side door, vase in hand, when she hears someone rapping against the glass door. Confused, Saya glances up, breath catching in her throat when she finds Tomoe standing outside, grinning and waving at her.

Saya can’t help but grin herself as she rushes out to unlock the door so she can let Tomoe in. “Tomoe!” she throws her arms around Tomoe’s neck, a giddy feeling swelling within her as Tomoe laughs into her hair. “What are you doing here so early? I thought you had to go to your part-time job today?”

“I do, but I wanted to drop by first and see you,” Tomoe answers, leaning forward to kiss Saya’s forehead. A happy sigh escapes Saya’s lips, hand coming to rest on Tomoe’s chest as she looks up. There’s no mistaking the slight flutter Tomoe’s heartbeat takes on, and the same could be said for her own.

Saya always did like how strong and sure Tomoe’s heartbeat is.  

“And I take it there was something you also wanted to give me?” Saya teases, nodding to where Tomoe has her other arm hidden behind her back.

Tomoe ducks her head and smiles sheepishly. “You caught me there.” She scratches at her cheek and pulls out her hand for Saya to see, revealing a fresh batch of sunflowers that has Saya gasping.

“Tomoe…” Saya breathes out, not quite daring to believe her eyes. “You shouldn’t have…”

“I wanted to, though,” Tomoe answers with a smile and nods towards the counter. “I noticed yesterday that yours were kinda starting to droop, so I wanted to get new ones to help you replace them.”

Touched and warmed by the gesture, Saya offers Tomoe a soft, grateful smile before brushing her lips alongside her jaw. “They’re lovely, Tomoe. Thank you.”

Face going red, Tomoe coughs and musters a nod, and Saya swears she hears Tomoe mumble something along the lines of, “You are, too…”

And just like that, the urge to tease Tomoe comes back.

“Hmm? Did you say something, Tomoe?” Saya asks, eyes glinting with mirth.

“Huh? N-no!” Tomoe denies quickly, but the growing heat in her face tells Saya otherwise. Then, Saya giggles, and Tomoe groans and covers part of her face with her hand. “You heard me, didn’t you?” she mumbles.

“Maybe,” Saya says with a wink, carefully taking the flowers from Tomoe’s hand. “Maybe not.”

Tomoe chuckles and shakes her head. “Alright, we better get those in the vase first.”

“Okay, let me just set aside the old ones first.”

Saya gives Tomoe’s forearm a gentle squeeze before heading back towards the counter, where she takes the vase and brings it to their kitchen, Tomoe following close behind like she always does on mornings like this.

And, like with her family, Saya reminds herself never to take these moments with Tomoe for granted, either.

“Ah, Tomoe!” Saya’s dad stands up from where he’s bent over the oven, a broad grin on his face as he gives Tomoe a hearty clap on the back. “Welcome back!”

Other people would normally stumble forward from the force of her dad’s greeting, but not Tomoe with her sturdy build. Her _very_ sturdy build, might Saya add.

“Thank you, sir! Is there anything I can do to help?” Tomoe offers.

“Just the usual, if you would,” Saya’s dad answers, gesturing to the trays of freshly-baked bread that are sitting on the kitchen table.

“Alright.” Tomoe pushes back her sleeves and hefts one of the trays with little to no effort before carrying them out into the storefront.

Saya swiftly turns her focus into replacing the old, withering sunflowers with the new, lively ones before she can distract herself too much by staring at Tomoe’s biceps. Her cheeks start to grow warm at the thought, and more so when she thinks of the times she’s pressed her fingertips down on them.

“Tomoe’s always been a nice kid, hasn’t she?” Saya’s dad comments, glancing at the new batch of sunflowers she places inside the vase with utmost care.

“Mmm…” Saya hums absentmindedly as she lifts the vase up.

“Nice enough to visit us every time she can _and_ bring flowers,” he then adds knowingly, like he used to before she and Tomoe had started dating.

“D-dad!” Saya protests, a furious blush spreading across her face.

With a guffaw, her dad ruffles her hair and grins. “Just kidding, just kidding! Forgive your old man for wanting to praise the girl who stole his daughter’s heart.”

“Dad!!!” Saya exclaims, aghast, praying to the heavens above that Tomoe didn’t hear _any_ of that. It’s embarrassing enough as it is that her dad is saying all of this, but if Tomoe heard even a _word_ of that, Saya thinks she might just die.

Thankfully, though, her dad finally stops. “Alright, alright, that’s the last one, I swear. I gotta thank Tomoe for the sunflowers, too – she chose real beautiful ones, after all.”

Her blush dying down, Saya nods, mostly out of relief, then makes a swift exit before her dad decides to go and say unnecessary things again. There she finds Tomoe arranging the bread and trays in their proper position, as though she’d been helping out at the bakery her whole life, too.

Not that Saya is surprised, given how Tomoe is a quick study and that she never does things half-heartedly. It’s either go big or go home, and Tomoe was the type that always, _always_ went big.

Tomoe wouldn’t be Tomoe if she didn’t, that much Saya knows and loves about her.

After placing the vase of sunflowers on a spot where the sunlight shines the brightest, Saya quietly tiptoes towards the unsuspecting Tomoe, then wraps her arms around Tomoe’s front once she’s close enough to do so.

Startled by this, Tomoe staggers forward a bit, but manages to right herself immediately just as Saya’s fingers link together above her stomach.

“Saya?” Tomoe asks, sounding worried.

Sighing softly, Saya buries her face into Tomoe’s back, noting its broadness and warmth that invites her to draw nearer, like a sunflower that constantly yearns for and basks in the sun’s light.

“I’m okay,” Saya reassures Tomoe, eyelids fluttering to a close as she lets out another sigh. “I just wanted to thank you again for the flowers and for helping us out.”

Her grip then loosens, prompting Tomoe to take Saya’s hand and spin her in one, fluid motion until they’re face-to-face.

“For you and your family?” Tomoe answers, a quirky grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I’d do just about anything for you guys.” She then shrugs and rubs at the back of her neck. “And I mean _anything,_ so you don’t ever have to worry that you’re asking for too much, Saya, because you’re not.”

“I-“ Saya sucks in her lower lip for a moment, then smiles at Tomoe. “Thank you, Tomoe. That means a lot to me.”

Smiling in return, Tomoe nods and lets her hand drop to her side.

_Bright yellow,_ Saya thinks again, as she lifts her fingers stroke Tomoe’s cheek. A happy color - the color of the sun that envelops everything its golden rays touches in its endless warmth.

And it’s the color Saya sees whenever Tomoe gazes back at her, eyes just as bright and welcoming as the sun.

It’s the only color that comes to mind when she thinks of Tomoe.

* * *

During a trip to the mall with the rest of Poppin’ Party, a hairpin in the shape of a sunflower in the accessories shop catches Saya’s eye. It’s the only one she finds, and it’s cute and pretty enough to get her wanting to buy it.

Plus, she also has a blouse with the same shade of yellow as the hairpin, so it’s going to be a perfect combination if Saya wore them both. And now that she takes a closer look at it, she’s reminded of the sunflowers Tomoe had brought for her a few days ago.

The thought brings a smile to Saya’s face and a cozy feeling in her chest, enough to make her giggle to herself. But as she’s about to reach out and take the hairpin, she hears Kasumi calling out to her.

“Sayaaaa! C’mon, let’s go!” Kasumi waves at Saya, full of energy like always.  

Saya gives the hairpin one last look before turning away to join everyone else, and because of Kasumi’s antics that last throughout the afternoon, it ends up being forgotten.

* * *

They’re taking a casual stroll around the shopping district one particularly bright Sunday morning when Tomoe comes to a sudden stop, to Saya’s surprise and confusion.

“Tomoe?” Saya furrows her eyebrows. “Is something wrong?”

With one hand carefully tucked inside her jacket pocket, Tomoe turns to face Saya, her red hair accented by the sun’s rays in the background. If anything, it makes Tomoe appear warmer, _gentler_ in Saya’s eyes.

There’s a different kind of light, a different _spark_ to Tomoe, standing underneath the early morning sunlight like this – different from when she’s bathed in the sunset’s scarlet red glow.

It makes Saya feel like she could fall in love with Tomoe all over again, just by looking at her like this.

“No, there’s just-“ Tomoe scratches at the back of her head, and, for a brief moment, Saya’s fingertips itch to touch Tomoe’s hair. “There’s something I got for you…”

And then she slowly pulls her hand out of her pocket, revealing a small package in Poppin’ Party’s color scheme – red, purple, pink, blue, and, finally, _yellow._ Saya finds herself confused again – was there something she and Tomoe supposed to be celebrating today?

“I saw it at the mall the other day, and it was the only one left so I thought you might want it,” Tomoe explains as she motions for Saya to reach out her hand.

And, ah, that makes sense now.

Saya obliges, and Tomoe places the gift in her outstretched palm, their fingertips brushing along the way. To think that Tomoe would even take the time to wrapping a gift she’d bought at random, but Saya would never be so ungrateful to call it small or anything similar.

When she glances back up at Tomoe, Saya is met with a hopeful and excited expression that she can’t help but giggle at Tomoe’s eagerness.

Then, with her curiosity getting the best of her, Saya carefully opens the gift, gasping in recognition when she sees what’s inside.

Come to think of it, she _was_ in the mall herself the other day, too, and this was what she’d wanted to get but ended up forgetting.

It’s the very same sunflower hairpin she’d wanted to get, and Tomoe had gotten it for _her._

“Tomoe…” Saya swallows, breath stuck in her throat. Really, how does Tomoe _do_ it? First, she comes knocking on their bakery with fresh sunflowers in hand, then the next she’s giving Saya the hairpin that had caught Saya’s eye.

Saya’s almost afraid to see what happens next after this.

“I thought it’d look good on you, since you wear bright colors a lot and how your last name means ‘bright yellow’,” Tomoe goes on to explain, and Saya, still not having recovered from her shock, can only stand there and look at Tomoe. Then, with a smile that shows the glint of her teeth, Tomoe murmurs, “I’ve always liked how happy you are, Saya, just like what your last name means.”

_Happy._ Somehow, Tomoe always manages to find a different way to see Saya through her own eyes. And maybe Tomoe is right – that she _is_ happy, and that it’s hard not to be when she grew up with a family that always knew how to look on the bright side, even though there had been a time in her life when Saya had struggled and forgotten to do so.

Finding herself unable to find the right words to say to thank Tomoe, Saya goes and does the first thing that comes to mind: she cups Tomoe’s face in both her hands and pulls her in for a kiss, putting every ounce of emotion she could into it.

Tomoe then snakes her arms around Saya’s waist to draw her closer, letting out a slight chuckle as Saya giggles against her lips.

“And you say I’m the one who always has a surprise up my sleeve,” Saya laughs softly, eyes shining as Tomoe swipes her thumb across her cheek.

“Well, I can’t always have you outdoing me,” Tomoe answers with a grin, hand pressing into the small of Saya’s back.  

Saya taps at Tomoe’s chin and says, “Thank you, Tomoe. I’ll take care of it and wear it whenever I can.”

And with that, Saya retracts one hand to pull her hair free of its ponytail, not missing the way Tomoe’s  eyes follow the way her hair falls down in loose waves and brushes past her shoulders. Then, Saya takes Tomoe’s hand and guides it to her hair, where Tomoe pushes part of Saya’s bangs aside.

“I don’t think I’ve ever tried that, have I?” Saya says with a smile. “I always have them down, now that I think about it.”

“Yeah, but you look great either way, you know?”

Cheeks going pink, Saya shakes her head and swats at Tomoe’s arm. “Ever the charmer, aren’t you, Miss Udagawa?”

Tomoe raises her hands in mock surrender. “Hey, if it works, it works, Miss Yamabuki.”

Saya simply shakes her head again, but with a touch of fondness this time. “Alright, alright, I believe you.”

With Tomoe helping hold her bangs away from her forehead, Saya clicks the hairpin in place, a smile tugging at her lips as she catches Tomoe sucking in a breath.

“So,” Saya starts, running a finger against the petals of the sunflower lying above her hair, “how do I look?”

It’s meant to fluster Tomoe, the way Saya bats her eyes when she asks the question, but then finds the tables being turned on her when Tomoe breathes out, “You look- you look beautiful, Saya.”

And see, Saya can’t see for herself how she looks, but with the way Tomoe is gazing at her – eyes soft and never straying away from hers for even a moment – Saya feels transfixed and enchanted herself.

She wonders if Tomoe could also see how beautiful she looks in Saya’s eyes.

With that thought running around in her head, Saya raises her fingertips to part Tomoe’s bangs, too; then, with a soft smile, she murmurs, “You’re beautiful, too, Tomoe.”

Tomoe’s eyes widen, a rapid blush rising throughout her cheeks as she processes Saya’s words.

“I- that’s-“ Tomoe looks away and coughs into the back of her hand. “Thanks, Saya…”

It takes a while before Tomoe recovers, and when she does, Saya giggles and immediately latches onto her arm, causing Tomoe to stumble a bit to the side.

But Tomoe is sturdy and pretty athletic; she plants one foot firmly on the ground and secures Saya by wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulls Saya flush against her side.

They both end up laughing, and really, Tomoe is _beautiful._

And Tomoe’s kindness and thoughtfulness only makes her even more so.

* * *

If Tomoe isn’t one to be outdone, well, Saya isn’t, either. She can’t always be the one who ends up being spoiled; she has to spoil Tomoe, too. And Tomoe’s reactions to those moments are priceless in and of itself to Saya – especially the way Tomoe’s eyes spring to life and the way her teeth are revealed when she grins, giving Saya a full glimpse of that lone fang Tomoe and Ako are known for having.

So, Saya wakes up earlier than usual one morning so she can head over to Tomoe’s house before going to school. Once she arrives, she rings the doorbell and hides what she’s been carrying behind her back, a bright smile breaking across her face when the gate is swung open by Tomoe.

But then Tomoe drags out a sigh and rubs at the back of her neck, eyes closed as she says, “Moca, it’s still too damn early for this, don’t you-“ and then Tomoe stops, probably having realized that isn’t Moca who’s standing outside their door – Moca who most likely would have interrupted Tomoe before she could edge even more than two words in. “Wait, Saya?” Tomoe’s mouth hangs open for a split second before she lets her gaze drop onto her necktie that’s draped around her raised collar, then to her shirt with the top few buttons still left open.

Smile stretching into a grin, Saya leans forward and tilts her chin up. “Good morning, Tomoe!”

“I- wha- I don’t-“ Tomoe blinks furiously, as though Saya would disappear if she kept it up. “Good morning?” she finally manages after a few more tries, head tilted to the side in confusion.

The sight has Saya bursting into a fit of giggles; then, without waiting a second more, she takes a step forward and swiftly leans in to kiss the corner of Tomoe’s mouth before pulling away, much to a flustered Tomoe.

“Are you good now?” Saya teases.

Tomoe stares at her, then, faster than Saya could blink, swoops in to surprise her with a kiss of her own. It happens so fast that what Saya is hiding from Tomoe almost slips from her grasp, but thankfully, she manages to grip it tighter around her fingers before it can fall to the ground.

“There,” Tomoe mumbles, leaning forward to rest her forehead against Saya’s shoulder. “Now I’m good.”

Saya cranes her neck to the side and nuzzles her nose into Tomoe’s hair, then lets out a content sigh against its softness. “Someone’s being clingy this morning, aren’t they?”

“Heck yeah I am, and I’m not letting go of you,” Tomoe declares, somewhat proudly, that Saya snorts.

“You’re crazy.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

Saya laughs and kisses the side of Tomoe’s head because that’s the only part she can reach when Tomoe refuses to budge even a single inch away from her. Not that Saya minds, what with her having a weak spot for Tomoe being all stubborn in wanting to stick to her like glue.

And, well, she’s pretty crazy for Tomoe herself.

“What’re you hiding behind your back, by the way?” Tomoe asks, moving only to rest her chin on Saya’s shoulder so she can take a peek.

Saya suddenly has the urge to drop her package so she can give Tomoe a proper hug and feel the warmth of her back against her palms; but that would just end up ruining the small surprise she’d prepared for Tomoe.

So, Saya settles for nuzzling her face into the front of Tomoe’s shoulder. “I made lunch for you.”

This gets Tomoe to pull back, surprise written all over her face as Saya takes out a bento box wrapped in a yellow cloth out of her bag. “Wh- you made that for me?” Tomoe asks, breath catching in her throat.

“Mmhmm,” Saya hums, reaching out to take one of Tomoe’s hands to give her the packed lunch. Then, eyes twinkling, she adds, “I can still think of ways to surprise you, you know?”

Tomoe’s response to that is a throaty laugh and a nod of agreement. “Yeah, you wouldn’t be Yamabuki Saya if you couldn’t trip me up when you want to.”

Saya laughs and closes the buttons of Tomoe’s shirt that remains open before moving on to tying up her necktie. It’s second nature to Saya by now, having done so many times in the past when Tomoe showed up at their doorstep so they can walk to school together but with her tie askew.

And, of course, Saya also likes it very much when she’s pulling Tomoe towards her by the tie until it comes loose around her fingers.

Much, _much_ more than when she’s fixing Tomoe’s tie.  

Saya might be enjoying herself a little too much just thinking about it.

“And you,” Saya starts, jabbing lightly at Tomoe’s shoulder, “wouldn’t be Udagawa Tomoe if you wore your uniform perfectly all the time in the morning.”

Tomoe just shrugs and grins at Saya, not looking the least bit sorry. “Well, you’re always there to fix it, aren’t you?”

“Oh, what would you do without me?” Saya deadpans.

In response to that, Tomoe snakes an arm around Saya’s waist and bumps their foreheads together. “Yeah, what would I do without you?” she agrees, the low dip of her voice and the touch of her palm sliding down Saya’s lower back making Saya swoon? Melt? Giddy?

All three?

Yeah, definitely all three.

And Tomoe says she could never be anywhere near as smooth as Kaoru is.

“Okay, okay,” Saya laughs, breathless, and playfully pushes at Tomoe’s face because they’re _never_ going to make it to school at this rate. “Now go get your blazer and your bag or we’re both going to be late.”

Reluctantly, Tomoe withdraws her hand and sighs. “Alright, but I’m not making you wait out here.” She then takes Saya by the hand and leads her inside the house, and that’s when Ako comes bursting out the door, startling Saya.

“Ah, Saya-chan! Onee-chan!” Ako pauses to wave and grin at them both, her expression uncannily similar to Tomoe’s. “I gotta go because I promised Rin-rin we’d meet up!”

Tomoe, on the other hand, appears unfazed by the sudden entrance and grins back at Ako. “Alright, then! Tell Rinko-senpai I said hi.”

“Okay! Bye, Saya-chan, onee-chan!” Ako then starts to dart out, but then Saya remembers that she’d packed one more lunch.

“Ah- Ako! Hang on!” Saya calls out; Ako stops dead in her tracks before she’s back in front of Saya in a flash.

“Did you need something, Saya-chan?” Ako asks, head tilted to the side in confusion.

“Oh, I just wanted to give this to you.” Saya then pulls out the other bento box, wrapped in a deep purple cloth this time.

Ako gasps, eyes gleaming with excitement as she takes the package from Saya. “Wow! Did you make this, Saya-chan?”

“Mmhmm!” Saya ruffles Ako’s hair, prompting Ako to let out a stream of happy noises. “I made sure to add in your favorites, too.”

“Waaaah!” Somehow, Ako manages to tackle Saya into a hug while holding the bento box, and Saya can’t help the laughter that spills out of her as Ako rubs her cheek against her stomach. “Thank you, Saya-chan!!! Ako promises to eat it all!”

With her back turned to Tomoe, Saya completely misses the awed and affectionate look being thrown her way. But it’s there, and Tomoe finds herself amazed by Saya’s kindheartedness all over again.

After Ako has detached herself from Saya, she’s off running out onto the streets, an extra skip in her step. And when Saya turns to face Tomoe again, she’s met with one of the softest expressions Tomoe has ever worn – the kind that appears when they’re alone together and exchanging quiet kisses.

“Man…” Tomoe chuckles and shakes her head. “Keep doing that and Ako’s gonna get super clingy on you, too.”

Saya giggles. “It’s only fair, don’t you think? You spoil my siblings, I spoil yours, too.” Then, she softens. “Besides,” she pauses and gives Tomoe a warm smile, “they’re one of the most important people to us, aren’t they?”

And then Tomoe lurches forward and pulls Saya into a tight embrace, a thick laugh bubbling out of her. The position leave Saya with no other choice than to bury her face into Tomoe’s chest; and now that her hands are free, Saya can finally return the hug properly.

So she does. She runs her fingertips up and down Tomoe’s back, pressing down on the taut muscles that strain against Tomoe’s shirt along the way. A small giggle escapes her when Tomoe lets out a content sigh and rubs her nose against the crook of Saya’s neck.

“Your uniform’s going to end up wrinkled,” Saya murmurs, though she makes no move to break away from the hug.

“It’s fine, I’ve got a blazer to cover it up,” Tomoe mumbles lazily.

A fond smile tugs at the corners of Saya’s lips.

“Yeah, but I don’t, and we’re _really_ going to be late for school if we don’t get going soon,” Saya points out.

Stubborn as ever, Tomoe still doesn’t relent. Saya laughs and pats Tomoe’s back.

They do still have a few minutes left before they _really_ have to leave, and Saya _did_ come with the intention of indulging Tomoe, so she guesses she can spare a few moments more.

And, well, if she’s being honest, she’s settled herself in Tomoe’s arms nicely enough to let go jut yet.

“But man,” Tomoe starts, dropping a kiss against Saya’s shoulder. “What’d I do to be so lucky?”

Funnily enough, Saya wonders about the same thing, too.

How _did_ she become this lucky?

* * *

“Onee-chan! Onee-chan!”

The sound of Jun and Sana calling out to her while they’re rushing up the stairs has Saya waking up with a start, her knee giving a slight jerk as she bolts upright. With bleary eyes, she turns to look at her clock to check the time.

Six a.m.

Saya knits her eyebrows together. It’s… not even a school day so it’s very strange Jun and Sana are both wide awake and hyperactive.

At six in the morning.

On a weekend.

That’s never happened before.

Now, why on earth would Jun and Sana wake up this ear-

_Oh._

When Saya realizes exactly what day it is, a grin breaks across her face and she pulls the shirt she’s wearing tighter around herself.

Soon enough, Jun and Sana are bursting right into her room with huge grins of their own. Giggling, Saya opens her arms and the Jun and Sana leap right into them, knocking Saya straight back onto the bed.

Then, as they’re hugging Saya, they eagerly chorus, “Happy Birthday, onee-chan!!!”

“Thank you, Jun, Sana,” Saya laughs, face shining with happiness.

Then, when Jun and Sana relax their monopoly on her, Saya takes a peek above their heads and catches a lone figure standing outside and discreetly closing the door. Before it comes to a close, though, Saya manages to spot a sliver of red hair.

And there’s only one person she knows who has that hair color…

But Tomoe doesn’t look like she’s realized that Saya knows she’s there, so Saya wants to use that to her advantage and catch Tomoe off guard.

“Oh, we’ll help mom make breakfast, onee-chan!” Jun declares as he proudly puffs out his chest.

Sana then pipes up, “Ah, me, too! Me, too!”

They’re both brimming with so much energy and with eagerness that Saya can’t help but soften and smile at them.

That’s right. Jun and Sana are growing up, too, in their own way. It might be her birthday today, but that doesn’t mean that Jun and Sana are going to stay as kids forever. It’s just that…

It’s just that she’s been shouldering so many things by herself out of habit that she forgets this simple fact more often than not.

Still, she _can_ baby them from time to time, right?

“Alright, you two go ahead and I’ll be right down in a sec.”

Jun and Sana then hop off the bed, but before they leave, Jun goes, “Ah! By the way, Tom-“

Before he can finish that sentence, Sana claps a hand over his mouth and frets, “Jun! You’re not supposed to tell onee-chan, remember!?”

With a huff, Jun tears Sana’s hand away from his mouth, but otherwise falls quiet. Saya giggles. Their cover had already been blown, anyway, but she decides not to say anything about it.

“Alright, alright, let’s just go,” Jun mutters and starts walking, Sana hot on his heels.

And then Saya’s left alone to think of how she’s going to surprise Tomoe. It doesn’t take long for her to settle on an idea, and, eyes gleaming, she slips out of bed and sneaks towards the door with light, quiet steps.

Once she makes it there, she takes a deep breath and counts to five, and once she’s sure Tomoe isn’t going to make a move anytime soon, Saya pushes through with her plan.

With one fluid motion, she swings the door open and yanks Tomoe inside by the wrist. Tomoe yelps in surprise, but she’s immediately shushed by Saya pressing a finger against her lips. Her eyes, on the other hand, are wide as saucers, much to Saya’s amusement.

After Tomoe has recovered, Saya retracts her finger and places her hands on her hips. “So then, what were you doing outside my room this early in the morning?” she asks in a mock accusatory tone.

A bead of sweat breaks out of Tomoe’s forehead. Then, she laughs awkwardly at Saya’s raised eyebrow. “Uh… Happy Birthday?” Tomoe says, sheepish.  

“You do know that isn’t the answer to my question, right?” Saya points out with a laugh that has Tomoe’s face going beet red.

“Yeah, well- I mean-“ Tomoe sighs and slaps her forehead.

With a quiet chuckle, Saya curls her fingers around Tomoe’s wrist to pull her hand away. “Kidding aside, thank you, Tomoe…” she murmurs warmly and takes a step closer so she can wrap her arms around Tomoe’s neck.  

There Saya buries her face against Tomoe’s shoulder, taking the time to breathe her in before moving on to kiss her way up Tomoe’s neck and jaw, the brush of her lips slow and lazy. It isn’t every day she gets the chance to savor every waking moment she has with Tomoe, nor was it something Saya thought possible after…

After everything she’d been through.

“Anytime…” Tomoe touches their foreheads together and looks intently at Saya. “And I know it’s too late to ask this, but… this isn’t too much, right? Me just barging in on you this early?”

At the hint of worry Saya sees in Tomoe’s eyes, she shakes her head vigorously and takes Tomoe’s face in her hands.

Throughout the years they’ve known each other, Saya can see that everything Tomoe does, she does so out of love and fierce loyalty to those she cares about so strongly – but never with the intent to hurt or suffocate anyone.

So Tomoe just…

She could _never_ be too much for Saya.

“No,” Saya says firmly, thumb stroking Tomoe’s jaw. “Never, Tomoe. Don’t ever think that you’re too much, because you’re not. You’re-“ she pauses and swallows thickly, because she just _loves_ Tomoe so much it’s hard to contain herself whenever she thinks about it. “You’re so kind, and selfless, and brave, and _caring_ that anyone would be lucky if you came rushing in to their house at six in the morning because you’re excited to greet them a happy birthday.”

Tomoe’s eyes widen, and Saya gives her a soft smile before continuing, “I know I am, Tomoe. No one’s ever done this for me before, and every second I’m with you…” she slides her hand to cup the back of Tomoe’s neck, running her thumb along the space beneath Tomoe’s ear. “Every second I’m with you is a gift.”

Her voice drops to a whisper, the sunlight casting a warm glow on her bedroom as she holds Tomoe’s eyes with her own.

It’s the least Saya could do for her, to do her part in reassuring Tomoe when she lets her guard down around Saya. Vulnerability hadn’t always been something either of them could show, wasn’t a side of them they could afford to let others see when so many people are relying on them.

And Tomoe does so much for her that Saya sometimes worries if she’s doing enough on her part to repay at least half the kindness Tomoe showers her with every day, every minute, every _second_ of their lives.

With that thought in mind, Saya reaches for Tomoe’s hand and lifts it to her own cheek, eyes fluttering shut as she feels the roughness of the callouses scattered along Tomoe’s palm against her skin.

Downstairs, the faint chatter of her parents and siblings carries over to her room, and along with it the rousing scent of breakfast being cooked over the pan.

And here there’s only her and Tomoe, and Saya’s sure she must look like a mess with her bedhead and sleep-wrinkled clothes, but…

But Tomoe doesn’t make any comments about her appearance, instead letting her fingertips curl into Saya’s cheek before moving on to smooth out her hair.

Tomoe exhales, “Jeez, Saya, are you sure it’s your birthday and not mine?”

Saya laughs and shakes her head. “Well, you’re celebrating with me, right? And I meant everything I said, Tomoe. You just- you always know the right words to say when I’m feeling down and if I could do the same for you, then that’s enough for me.”

“You do,” Tomoe says, fierce and determined, as though she could see Saya’s worry that she might not be doing enough. And maybe she does – Tomoe always did see right through her, after all. “Saya, you’re doing enough, heck, you’re doing _more_ than enough. For me, for your friends, for your family, for _everyone._ And- and anyone who can’t see that are either blind or selfish jerks who don’t have even a shred of kindness that you’ve got so much of-“

Despite herself, Saya lets out a watery laugh at the intense, passionate ranting that is oh so Tomoe before furiously wiping away at the tears gathering in her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt.

“Because darn it, Saya,” Tomoe breathes out and gently tugs Saya’s arm away to run her thumbs beneath her eyes, expression softening but still determined all the same. “You’ve always been enough.”

More tears start to blur Saya’s vision at the declaration, her lower lip trembling as Tomoe begins to kiss her hair and her forehead.

So much for trying not to get so emotional today.

With her face cradled in between Tomoe’s hands, Saya lets out a shuddery breath and smiles through her tears – her _happy_ tears because how could she be anything but when the person she’s so _in love with_ is right in front of her?

And after hearing all that, a mere ‘thank you’ isn’t going to be enough to convey the depth of her feelings.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep, steadying breath before opening them again, willing her heart into a state of calm so she can finally tell Tomoe what’s long been overdue now. But it’s hard when Tomoe is still looking at her like _that_ and her palms still touching Saya’s face.

Still, Saya has to. She needs to say it, needs Tomoe to _hear_ it at last.

Looking straight into Tomoe’s eyes, Saya sucks in her lower lip and leans further into her touch, savoring the warmth she finds there for a moment longer before she whispers for Tomoe to hear:

“I love you, Tomoe.”

It feels so right, so _perfect,_ how the words roll of her tongue into a gentle lilt as they drift away into the early morning air. Her gaze is steady as she says it, voice sure and unwavering like this is how it’s meant to be – as though her falling in love with Tomoe is something inevitable, one way or another.

So much so that it’s become difficult for Saya to imagine a world where she doesn’t.

“I love you,” Saya repeats for good measure, because saying it once just isn’t enough. A flicker of emotion swirls in Tomoe’s eyes then, and, giggling breathlessly and bursting at the seams _,_ Saya exclaims, “I love you, Tomoe!”

At the final declaration, Tomoe rushes out a breath and yanks Saya in for a tight embrace, a happy laugh exploding out of her and bouncing throughout the walls of the room. “Dammit, I- I love you, too, Saya!” she half-laughs, half-cries out, bursting with joy herself.

Saya giggles and tackles Tomoe onto the bed, then laughs harder at the surprised yelp Tomoe lets out.

Was it possible to be this happy? Saya doesn’t know, but that’s exactly what she feels right now – like her head is in the clouds and she’s barely able to contain herself from the sheer joy that threatens to take over her from the inside out.

“I love you,” Tomoe says again, as Saya looks down at her, affection burning bright in both their eyes. “I love you.” She wraps her arms around Saya’s waist and presses the gentlest of kisses against her stomach. “Saya, I love you.”

With the last _you,_ Saya is left breathless and at a complete loss for words as she tries to process everything that just happened. Telling Tomoe she loves her, Tomoe telling Saya she loves her back, the laughter etched on her face as they both tumbled over onto the bed.

Tomoe, who looks so happy and content to bury her face into the fabric of Saya’s shirt and just-

Just breathe her in like Saya did with her only a few moments ago.

Tomoe, who feels the same way as her. Tomoe, who _loves_ her back.

Tomoe, who Saya really, _really_ loves.

With her family, her friends, and now Tomoe, it’s safe to say that this is the best birthday Saya has ever had.

She looks down and finds Tomoe smiling lazily back at her, bangs covering part of her eyes that Saya brushes aside with the back of her hand. Tomoe then grabs it in her own to scatter open-mouthed kisses along Saya’s knuckles.

The ghost of Tomoe’s breath tickles Saya’s skin, a tingling sensation shooting down her spine as Tomoe’s smile gives way to a grin, bright and so full of life like the sun. In her chest, Saya’s heart starts to race and flutter, and her body begins to move on its own to curl into Tomoe’s waiting arms.

And when her head finds its way home to Tomoe’s chest, Saya can’t help but let out a satisfied sigh and throws her legs on top of Tomoe’s before tangling them together.

Maybe she’s being a bit clingy, but the warmth of Tomoe’s embrace is much too inviting to pass up on.

Tomoe hums something that sounds vaguely like a love song, the steady beating of her heart lulling Saya back into a state of sleepiness. The feeling of Tomoe playing with her hair doesn’t help matters, either, and neither does the way Tomoe throws the blankets over them.

Then, just like that, Saya wonders what it would be like to get to sleep next to and wake up in the morning to find Tomoe right next to her.

It would be nice, Saya thinks to herself, fighting off the urge to fall asleep in favor of lifting her head so she can gaze at Tomoe.

“What’s up?” Tomoe asks, fingers stilling against Saya’s hair.

Saya just smiles and shakes her head, then kisses Tomoe softly. Tomoe’s hand finds its way to the back of her neck, her lips molding perfectly against Saya’s as they trade slow, lazy kisses.

“Just thinking how nice this is,” Saya whispers after a while.

Tomoe buries her face into the crook of Saya’s neck and releases a quiet breath. “Yeah, this is really nice…”

“Mmm…”

“You don’t wanna go back to sleep?”

Saya’s eyelids start to droop. “Maybe in a bit…” she yawns, snuggling further into Tomoe.  

Tomoe nods and taps a leisurely beat against Saya’s shoulder, until Saya finally gives in and stops resisting the heaviness of her eyelids.

The last thing she’s aware of is pressing a soft kiss to Tomoe’s chest before falling asleep to the steady thumping she finds there.

* * *

When Saya wakes up again, she finds her fingers curled around the front of Tomoe’s shirt and their legs still twisted together underneath the blankets. Tomoe, on the other hand, is awake, and Saya shifts a little to catch her attention.

Tomoe turns her neck to look at Saya and curls an arm around her waist. “Hey, you’re awake.”

Saya nods and eases her grip on Tomoe’s shirt. “Didn’t you sleep, too?”

“For a bit, yeah.”

“You could’ve woken me up, you know?”

“Yeah, but you looked so peaceful so I didn’t want to disturb you.”

With a breathy chuckle, Saya sits up and draws her knees to her chin, glancing sideways at Tomoe. “You’re always so thoughtful…”

“Right back at ya.”

Saya laughs, but before she can respond, the door to her bedroom is slowly being opened by Jun with Sana tagging alongside him.

“Ah, onee-chan, Tomoe-nee, breakfast is almost ready,” Sana says.

“Alright!” Tomoe sits up and stretches her arms above her head before hopping off the bed. “I’ll help you guys set the table while your onee-chan gets ready, okay?”

At that, Saya smiles and gives Tomoe’s wrist a grateful squeeze. Tomoe ruffles Jun and Sana’s hair before sending them back outside, giving her and Saya enough time to sneak in a kiss.

“See you in a bit,” Tomoe murmurs, leaning in to touch her forehead to Saya’s. “I love you, Saya.”

There’s a goofy grin on Tomoe’s face as she says it, causing Saya to blush and let out a shy, breathless giggle.

“I love you, too, Tomoe.”

Tomoe’s grin grows impossibly bigger, _brighter,_ and if Saya could see that every day-

She’d say it as many times as she can, if it meant bringing the sunrise home in Tomoe’s eyes every time.

* * *

It’s there when Tomoe sings her a happy birthday while carefully balancing a cake that she and Ako had baked with Tsugumi’s help, with the rest of Poppin’ Party, Afterglow, and her family singing along with bright smiles on their faces that has Saya tearing up.

She isn’t really sure how their house managed to fit everyone, but they made it work somehow, and for that, Saya has never felt happier and more grateful.

Without fail, everyone here never doubted her, never judged her for whatever mistakes she’d done and for struggling to shoulder everything by herself.

To everyone, she’d always been enough, even when she thought of herself and her own feelings as a burden.

If it hadn’t been for them, Saya would never have been able to learn to be honest with herself, would have continued to hide her struggles underneath a forced smile.

And she never would have seen these kind, warm smiles that were meant for her.

Then when she leans in to blow the candles with Tomoe gazing at her, Moca snickers and goes, “Tomo-chin and Saya-chan, sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” much to Ran, Tsugumi, Arisa, and Rimi’s collective horror.

“M-Moca-chan! You can’t do that in front of Saya-chan’s family!” Tsugumi cries out frantically, hands flying to cover Jun’s ears, while Rimi does the same with Sana.

Both Saya and Tomoe start to blush furiously, and before Moca can add any more damage, Ran quickly covers her mouth with her hand. Kasumi and Tae both look like they want to follow Moca’s lead, but Arisa stops them before they can even start by giving them each a hard nudge against the ribs.

Saya makes a mental note to thank Arisa later, because she doesn’t think she can handle any further embarrassment in front of her parents.

“I’m so sorry for that, Mr. and Mrs. Yamabuki,” Ran apologizes with a deep bow, forcing Moca to do the same. “Moca still needs to learn how to act appropriately, and I promise it won’t happen again.” She then glares at Moca, who merely gives a lazy shrug.

“Oh, no, please don’t apologize,” Saya’s mom says with a laugh.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it,” Saya’s dad laughs while clapping Moca on the back. “We’re already used to this one being a real riot, anyway.”

Behind Ran’s palm, Moca grins and gives Saya’s dad a thumbs up. Ran sighs and shakes her head, while Tomoe looks like she wants the ground to swallow her whole.

At one point, Tae asks if she would like to have one of her rabbits, which Saya declines with a nervous laugh. Rimi and Himari both appear to be fangirling over Kaoru, Tsugumi and Arisa talk about how they arrange their pieces on the keyboard, and Ran rolls her eyes and grunts at something Moca says.

Kasumi, Ako and Tomoe have somehow begun to chase Jun and Sana around, filling the house with loud squeals that escalate when Tomoe scoops Sana up with little to no effort at all.

Ako and Kasumi both try doing the same with Jun, but end up failing. This gets Tomoe to laugh, and, with her other arm, lifts Jun off the floor with Ako and Kasumi watching her with so much awe and wonder.

The sight has Saya giggling, every ounce of her brimming with so much happiness that it spills freely out of her with nowhere else to go but everyone else in this room.

It’s absolute chaos, but Saya decides that she wouldn’t have it any other way.

* * *

(It’s also there when Tomoe drops down on one knee years later, her back against the window of the kitchen, hair and cheeks freckled with dusts of white from dumping flour onto the bowls with more force than necessary.  

Under any normal circumstance, Saya would have laughed and teased Tomoe about it but this isn’t one of those times.

Because in Tomoe’s hands lies an open velvet box that holds a silver ring, but instead of the usual diamond, a sunflower lies perched on top of it, the petals colored a bright yellow that glints underneath the sunlight streaming through the windows.

With tears rolling down her cheeks, Saya nods vigorously and blurts out, “Yes!” without a moment’s hesitation.

Tomoe quickly scrambles to take out the ring but her hands are shaking so hard that it takes a few tries before she finally manages to slip it onto Saya’s finger; and then she grins, tears blurring her own eyes as Saya launches herself into her arms.

And as Saya takes Tomoe’s face in her hands, she gazes deeply into those eyes that have always known and loved her, where she sees the sun burn at its brightest and finds its way home in them once more.

And in them, Saya, too, finds her own way home.)

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday to our kind, caring, and beautiful girl - Yamabuki Saaya! She deserves all the love in the world and I wanted to show her mine by writing this. I'll forever be grateful to Bandori for introducing this amazing girl and her beautifully-written arc to me.


End file.
